While on the topic of corruption and quid pro quo. So many tenticles it is called the Koctopus.

April 23, 2019

By David Safier

Did I mention (click here) that ASU’s Center for the Study of Economic Liberty was created in November, with a little help – OK, $3.5 million worth of help – from the Charles Koch Foundation?

And did I mention that Ducey is basically a Koch creation?

It's a classic quid pro quo. (click here) The Koch brothers' network of donors helped fund then-Treasurer Doug Ducey's 2012 campaign against a one cent sales tax for schools, then it contributed big bucks to his gubernatorial campaigns. In return, Ducey made sure state funds go to the latest additions to the Koch's nationwide network of think tanks and university outposts: UA's Freedom Center and ASU's School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership.

Ducey gets a few millions in contributions. The many-tentacled Koch network, often referred to as the Kochtapus, gets $7.5 million a year from the state to extend its influence. Small investment, big return. That's how the rich and powerful like to do things.

In 2014, 2015 and 2016, UA's Freedom Center received half a million dollars each year from the state. In 2017, the amount increased to three-quarters of a million. In 2018 and 2019 it leapt to $3.5 million. It's on track to get the same amount in this year's budget.

ASU's School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership began getting state funding in 2016, with half a million. In 2017 it went up to three-quarters of a million. In 2018, 2019 and most likely in this year's budget, its allocation is $4 million.

Over the last few years, the two programs have pulled in a total of $7.5 million per year....